Another Story Altogether
by Vertical Skyline
Summary: *NOTE: CONTAINS YAOI. So, the girl chooses Yuta, leaving the others to deal with their problems by other means. Though...what happens when new love interests start to spark up?
1. Chapter 1

When Kuni had announced to us that his "niece" would be visiting and he was going to get her to help one of us out of our little rut, I couldn't help but to be a little excited about it. Normally I didn't excite easily. Really, the only ones that did were Saeki and Yuta. And sometimes Kuni, but he got excited over silly things. Anyway, I was walking around the market before Kuni wanted us at the bar, doing a little bit of shopping and whatnot, when this lost-looking girl bumped in to me. Granted, I was a bit rude to her, but at the same time, I was very anxious. I did help her with her list though. She was very pretty. She had shoulder-length brown hair and big brown eyes to match. So I did make it up in a way by helping her out. Even though I continued to insult her...

After I got my groceries and took them home, I realised that I was late. I quickly ran to LI. I apologised to Kuni as I walked in huffily. Luckily, Ren was late too, so I wasn't the only one. Kuni did scold me, though. I was used to it by then. That was when I noticed that the girl there was the girl from the market and I suddenly became a bit less excited. Ren walked in not too long after and he and I just listened as Saeki, Takao, Yuta, and Kuni talked to the girl. Apparently _this_ was Kuni's "niece." Her name was Kaina Takashi, according to what he told us. She didn't disagree, though, so I figured he wouldn't be making it up. Strange name, that was. I glanced over at the quiet boy sitting next to me. He was dozing off. I gently nudged the prince, kind of making him jolt, and he gave me a look, at first like he was going to kill me, and then it was a look of gratitude. I nodded vaguely, no longer listening to the others talk. Ren had seemed so much more out of it than usual as of late. It was a bit worrying. Though I chose not to push on the subject. He _was_ working on that drug research, after all. And his time was up. So was mine.

"Yamato!" Kuni called, snapping me out of my own thoughts. I looked over at him with slightly wide eyes. "Don't tell me you've been tuning this out too?"

"I'm sorry, Kuni," I stated simply, looking down at the beer in front of me. "Just a lot on my mind is all."

"Well, Kaina is about to make her choice," my friend said cheerily. _Is that so..._He smiled at the brunette girl. "Who do you choose?"

"Well..." she started quietly. I imagined they'd covered for Ren and me. It's not like either of us were paying attention. "...I choose...Yuta."

I could kind of feel my heart stop for a moment. That was when I knew it was all over. Though...I knew Ren had it so much worse...Yuta was happy, though. Throughout the rest of the night, I just kind of ignored what was going on around me, drinking my beer quietly. Ren had his head on the bar and was sleeping rather soundly. _Poor kid...He has too much responsibility for a 25-year-old...And I know I'll really miss him if he has to go back to his home country when Daniel comes to visit..._Kuni was calling my name again, snapping me back to reality, and I just looked at him.

"What?" I asked him simply.

"Don't you have work tomorrow?" he asked, kind of smiling. Like he always was...

"And your point is...?" I wondered teasingly.

"Go home, Yamato," he laughed quietly. "And take Sleepy with you."

I rolled my eyes and nodded, gently nudging Ren awake. He jumped slightly and I told him I'd walk with him. He nodded his head once like he always did to show his "Okay." He and I walked out together and down the way. Kaina should have fun with Yuta. He's wild, but he's fun. That's why we stayed friends with him, after all. Though I couldn't get the thought of how down Ren seemed out of my mind. It actually really bothered me. And, hell, no one _really_ knows why I was working in that high school. But we all knew what was going on with Ren.

"Ren," I finally said quietly as we reached where we were to part ways.

"Hmn?" he hummed, looking at me with drowsy and sad eyes.

"I'm sure everything will be okay." was what I told him, giving him a slightly reassuring smile. Though...it was more like I was trying to convince myself of that. "Your research has gone well. You can tell Daniel that your 'fiancée' is away, visiting family for a little while. And then after your conference, you can just tell him that she cancelled at last minute and there you go. Your research is done. Your whole objective will have been accomplished."

He was looking at me as if he knew I was upset. I usually did so well at hiding it. Him, on the other hand...? Not so much. To my surprise, he then moved closer to me and wrapped his strangely strong arms around me. This was seriously weird of him. He usually never really showed _emotions._

"Things will be okay," he whispered.

I was _thoroughly_ surprised at that point and just kind of awkwardly hugged him back. Once he let go, he gave me this little smile that I'd never actually seen from him before. He then gestured for me to walk ahead of him.

"But we part ways here," I said, confused.

"I'll see you home," he responded quietly.

I hesitantly nodded and walked with him down the way until we reached my apartment complex. Though...he even followed me up to my room, and inside. I greeted Roomba and gently patted him. Ren looked around like he was amazed. I imagined his apartment looked barely used.

"Ren, shouldn't you head home?" I asked him seriously.

He kind of shrugged and his face remained expressionless as it usually was. Though...there was this look in his eyes...like he didn't want to be alone tonight. I guess I understood that feeling. That's how I felt after my mother died. It made me sad, but I didn't let him see that.

"I like your home," he said in that smooth, quiet voice of his.

"Well...thanks, I guess," I said as I prepared a bit of before-bed-food. "It's really nothing special. Just your plain apartment."

I did watch him sit on the sofa, though. After a few moments, I walked to him with a plate, though he tried to push it away.

"Not hungry." was his statement on the matter, but I pushed back at him.

"Ren...eat," I said simply, plopping down beside him with a bottle of beer in my hand for me and one sitting on the coffee table in front of the prince for him.

He sighed and made a little face before starting to nibble at it. Then he actually started to eat. That meant he liked it. I sat forward, turning on the TV, and opening Ren's beer for him.

"Yamato..." he whispered, making me look at him questioningly as he placed his plate on his lap. "Thank you."

"For what?" I wondered, sitting back again and taking a swig of my drink.

"This." was all he said, but I knew what he meant. He meant the food and the caring words. Sometimes he was extremely easy to understand. Other times, it was ridiculously difficult. But I understood his hatred for broccoli. It happens when it's your home country's main dish.

I hid a small smile and said, "No need to thank me. Did it because I wanted to."

That was when he leaned over and hugged me again. Twice in the same night...It was getting very strange. Another instance in which I just chose not to ask. That was when my train of thought returned to the tracks of which brought the fact that I was going to get fired straight to the forefront of my mind. The fact that I'd never really get to know my father, the only family I had left. He didn't even acknowledge that I existed. I sighed quietly as I took another drink from my bottle and stared blankly at the television screen.

"Are you okay?" Ren asked in his sweet, quiet voice.

That snapped me back to reality and I just looked at him before returning my gaze to...whatever it was that we were watching.

"I'm fine," I responded, taking yet another, though longer, drink.

"You shouldn't lie to a prince," he smirked slightly.

This caught my entire attention as I looked at him quickly. He _never_ played that card. He chuckled quietly, showing that he was joking, though sincere at the same time. He was trying to lift the tension, but at the same time, he wanted me to tell him what was bothering me. I just shook my head, a small smile spreading across my lips. Ren then leaned close to me, resting his chin on my shoulder and looking at me with sleepy eyes. I was looking at him out of the corner of my eye and smiling a bit wider with every second that passed.

"You wanna stay the night?" I asked him, knowing that's what he was waiting for.

He nodded and smiled slightly as he pulled back.

I sighed, though not in agitation or anything of that sort. Then, I stood, setting my bottle on the coffee table and motioning for the prince to follow me. I led him to the bedroom and pulled the covers back for him.

"You want some pajamas?" I wondered, looking at him seriously.

He nodded again, though almost like he had no intention of even asking.

I nodded in return. A universal sign between he and I. And I walked over to the dresser, getting him an old T-shirt and a pair of pajama pants that I never wore anymore. I tossed them to him and he went on his merry way to change in the bathroom. While he did that, I quickly changed myself. Though I didn't wear a shirt. It was more comfortable that way. He came back just as I finished slipping on the pants and I turned and smiled at him. He looked at the bed and then climbed in to it. That was when I realised that he went shirtless too and he'd lied the shirt on the vanity before he'd even left the room. He nuzzled in to the pillow, not even covering up. I sighed, shaking my head slightly, and made my way over to him to pull the covers over him. Though...in the process, he'd grabbed my arm and pulled me down with him. I just...looked at him...surprised. He had a little smile on his face as he examined mine for a moment and then nuzzled up to me, his arm draped over me and lightly grasping my waist. I guess I submitted or something...because I moved closer to him, turning on my side to face him. But the thoughts kept swarming my mind. What the hell were we going to do when it all came down to our problems. He would have to go home...to disappointed parents...and live a miserable life...and me? I'd probably spend the rest of my life...hating the only family I had left.

Ren had opened his eyes and was looking at me, though I didn't notice. I was so out of it. That was when he caught me by suprise. He'd lifted up and gently kissed my eye. I remembered Kuni reading that in one of those stupid magazines, what it meant, but I just...couldn't remember for the life of me. But...it was the fact that he kissed me anyway.

"Things work out how they're supposed to, Yamato..." he said quietly, kind of smiling at me. All I could really do was make myself nod and look away from him. "...I'm sure your father is a nice man."

That one sentence made my heart stop and I looked at him again with wide eyes. "You knew?" I squeaked out, sitting up and resting on my elbow.

"I've been to work with you," he replied, mirroring how I was sitting. "I've seen how you look at the principal. It's rather obvious. And knowing your objective...Pieces of the puzzle."

"You're way too good at analysing things," I sighed, hanging my head.

I could tell that he shrugged a bit before he moved even closer to me, lifting me up slightly and wrapping his arms around me tightly. His head was burrowed in the crook of my neck. It made me feel...warm...and nervous...I hesitantly hugged him back. This was much too strange, the way he was acting. Hell, even the way _I_ was acting. Another thing I chose not to question. I'd learned it's best not to. He slowly let me go and smiled sweetly, his eyes flickering from mine...to my lips...and back. He wanted to kiss me? Seriously? But...we were both guys...and he was a _prince,_ nevertheless. But that was when I found myself doing the same thing. Quickly, I retreated and lied back down, turning to face away from him. He snuggled up to me and I blushed lightly. I didn't even know why, but I did. I shook off the thought and closed my eyes, almost immediately drifting off to sleep.

I woke up to the sun hitting me dead in the face and had to shield my eyes from it. Then was when I looked over to see the prince sleeping soundly beside me. I'd convinced myself in my sleep that it had been some kind of warped dream. But it wasn't. I sat up slowly, still looking at Ren. He was so...cute...I shook my head to get the thought out of my head and I slowly got up, grabbing some clothes and making my way, silently, to the bathroom to shower. My heart was actually racing. The water was running and I was in the process of undressing when I heard the door open and close behind me, causing me to turn. Ren stood there against the door, smiling slightly. I tilted my head and all he did was walk over to me and wrap his arms around my waist. Jesus...something was really off.

"Ren, are you okay?" I asked him quietly.

He just nodded and slightly twisted me with him, almost like he was rocking back and forth. I just gave in and hugged him back, my cheek on top of his head. Once he pulled back he just smiled a little and started backing toward the door. I took a few steps after him before he met me again. We were standing chest to chest, staring into one another's eyes. His eyes were beautiful...Slowly and hesitantly, I lifted a hand to rest on his jaw while my other one rested on his waist, and I moved in closer to him, our lips nearly touching. I could feel his breath speeding up as well as his heart and I cracked a small smile for a moment before finally touching our mouths together. He gently grasped my forearms and deepened our kiss. This wasn't...right...was it? Ren gently bit my lower lip, making me sigh out a bit as I finally forced my tongue into his mouth, searching for his. His grip tightened on my arms as he moved in closer to me. This caused me to wrap one arm around his waist and the opposing hand to tangle within his soft blond hair. He kept his grip steady, but I could feel his heart beating so fast...or was that _my_ heart?...I guess it didn't matter. After a few moments of that and the bathroom beginning to steam, he finally broke the kiss, his eyes still closed for a second. Slowly, they opened and he examined me before bowing his head and backing up.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered and turned, opening the door and rushing out of the washroom.

I turned off the shower quickly and stepped out after him. He'd managed to already change into his clothes, with the exception of buttoning his shirt and tying his tie, and he was slipping in to his shoes. I went up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist. His hand gripped the doorknob.

"Don't leave..." I whispered.

There was a moment of sad silence before he twisted the doorknob and slipped away from me. "I'm sorry..." was all he said in return as he walked out, closing the door behind him, leaving me to just stand there.

I was actually...really heartbroken. I don't quite know why, but I was. My chest actually started to hurt a little bit. I slowly turned to go restart the shower. Once I finished and got dressed and all that good stuff, I exited my apartment, heading toward the school. I'd be a little later than usual. But not to the point of having a tardy to work on my profile. The entire way there, I thought about Ren. I thought about that kiss. I thought about how much it hurt when he left...Why was all of this bothering me so badly? It didn't even matter...We were both guys, he was a prince, I was a teacher...It's not like we were going to be together anyway.

The entire day, I was ridiculously distracted. I barely gave any of the kids any work, and if I did, it was busy work. Directly after work, I went to Long Island and sat at the bar. Kuni was getting ready to open, so no one was really there yet. He brought me a beer and then sat on the other side of the bar, resting on it, staring me down as I shrugged off my jacket.

"What?" I wondered, shrugging my shoulders and widening my eyes slighty.

"What's on your mind, Kougami?" he asked in return.

"Nothing," I lied.

"Don't spout off bullshit, because you know I won't leave you alone until you tell me," he huffed, readjusting his stance. "Tell me what's eating at you, Yamato. I haven't seen you this down in a while."

I looked down at my drink for a moment before I looked back up at him and sighed. "Hypothetically, what would you do if you started to develop strong feelings for someone that you knew you could never be with and they just ran out of your apartment, their only words being 'I'm sorry'?"

Kuni kind of tilted his head and stood up a bit straighter. "Who are you talking about, Yamato?" he questioned. "I can't even pretend to answer that hypothetically. Who ran out of your apartment this morning?"

I just shook my head and forced a small smile. "It's nothing, Kuni, it'll pass," I told him, trying to sound somewhat reassuring.

He walked around the bar and sat beside me, staring me down still. Gently, he rested his hand on my thigh and my heart kind of sped up. He never did things like that...

"Talk to me, Yamato," he sighed softly. "You haven't acted like this since...well...since your mom died..."

I kind of cringed at his statement, but I guess he had a point. Though it wasn't as bad. "It's not nearly as bad as it was when she passed..." I whispered, correcting him. "...but I guess you have a point."

"Talk to me," he said quietly, squeezing where his hand was.

Everyone was acting so strangely. What was going on? Slowly, Kuni rested his forehead against my temple, looking up at me, his hat nearly falling off. That was when Saeki and Takao walked in, making Kuni retreat rather quickly. We both turned to look at them and they had kind of a surprised look on their faces. I turned back to the bar and sipped at my beer as my friend stood, going back around.

"The normal?" he asked them, trying his damnedest to sound chipper.

From what I could tell, the two of them just nodded before each of them sat on either side of me. Saeki's eyes were down, examining his hands as if he felt uncomfortable. Takao's were slightly wide as he kept glancing from me to Kuni and back. As soon as Kuni walked into the back, they both turned to me, staring at me.

"What?" I growled, looking from one to the other.

"What the hell did we just walk in on, Yamato?" Saeki demanded.

"We were talking, Takamasa, is that a problem?" I growled, making him wince slightly.

Takao took a sweeter approach on the matter. "What were you talking about that called for you two to be so close?" he asked softly.

"Just stuff," I shrugged. "Look, I really don't feel like talking tonight, alright? I just wanna get as drunk as possible and watch the damn game."

They both nodded in understanding, though while Takao turned away from me, Saeki continued to stare me down, just as Kuni had been doing. I shot him a glare out of the side of my eye and he kind of looked a bit taken aback at it. He turned to face the bar just as Kuni returned with their drinks, setting it in front of them. Not long after that, Yuta came in with Kaina and the two of them just talked it up with the others. And then Ren walked in. He kind of stopped in the doorway, looking at me for a moment, before he slowly made his way in, sitting beside Saeki. My heart was going to explode. I still didn't even know why I was so hurt over the whole thing. I downed the rest of my beer and Kuni walked over, standing right in front of me.

"I still expect you to tell me what's wrong," he whispered, his face really close to mine.

I bowed my head and then glanced at Ren who hadn't looked at me the entire time he'd been there. Finally I just stood, swinging on my jacket.

"I can't do this." were the only words I uttered before I stormed out of the bar, heading home.

I had barely heard them calling my name as I left, but I ignored it for a reason. I wasn't going back. There was no way. Instead, I just walked straight to my apartment and entered, greeting Roomba as usual, and pulled off my jacket, hanging it up. Loosening my tie, I plopped down on my sofa, switching on the television. By the end of the night, I had quite a few beer bottles in front of me, my head was resting in my palm, and my elbow was propped on the arm of the sofa. My eyes were beginning to droop, but I couldn't even stand up. That's why I couldn't go get another drink. Even though I wanted to. So, instead, I just lied out on the couch, closing my eyes and beginning to fall asleep when I was begin rung on the monitor. I groaned and slowly, cautiously, got up to look at who it was. Kuni...After a second of just staring at him on the screen and him saying: "I know you're in there, where the hell else would you be?" I finally pressed the unlock button and hobbled over to my door, opening it. On the way back to the couch, though, I tripped on my rug and fell face first on to the floor. I just started laughing at myself. It was a pretty damn good thing I was wasted...because this was going to be a long night...


	2. Chapter 2

Kuni walked in and gasped slightly before rushing over and kneeling down beside me as I slowly started to sit up. I was still giggling like an idiot. He kind of glared at me and then sniffed me.

"How much did you drink, you moron?" he squeaked as I pushed him away.

"I can...get myself...up..." I told him, slurring my sentence together terribly.

Though, when I managed to almost get to my feet, I started to fall again, but my friend caught me. I just stayed in his arms, laughing idiotically, with one of my hands on his chest along with my cheek.

"You're ridiculous..." Kuni growled, standing up, taking me with him. "Let's go, stupid. You need to go to bed."

I just shoved him away again, still laughing. "What does...it matter?" I slurred. "I'm gonna have...a hangover...from Hell...anyway..."

He glared at me and swooped me into his arms like it was nothing. No matter how much I fought, he still walked into my bedroom and threw me on the bed. When I tried to get up, he climbed on top of me, stradling my lap, and pinned my hands above my head.

"Just stop, Yamato," he growled. "You're being ridiculous. I know you're hurt, but every time you get hurt, you can't just go and _fuck up_ like this!"

I just narrowed my eyes at him and turned my face away. Suddenly, my voice wanted to actually work. "I _am_ just a fuck up..." I whispered.

He sighed softly and let go of my hands, sitting back a bit and resting his own on his thighs. I sat up, balancing on my elbows, though my head was still turned away from him.

"You're not..." Kuni whispered, almost sounding pained.

I turned my head to look at him curiously. He rolled off of me and made me scoot over so he could lie next to me. I did that as he kicked off his shoes and threw his hat down next to them. He then pulled the blankets up over us and I lied back down.

"Why did you come?" I asked him quietly, the alcohol not really having its effect anymore.

"Because you stormed out of there so quickly when Ren walked in that we all got really worried," he responded quietly.

I looked over at him. He was really quite handsome. Why had I never noticed? He lied there with one hand behind his head, the other on his stomach. The mention of Ren kind of hurt, but for some reason it didn't hurt as bad as it did earlier. He rolled his head and looked at me, smiling slightly.

"It was either me or Saeki," he added. "So, I volunteered quickly."

I looked away from him and sighed quietly. "It was Ren," I stated solemnly.

"What?" Kuni pondered, rolling over slightly to balance up on his elbow, looking at me.

I lifted up again and huffed. "That person I was talking about earlier. It was Ren."

"Damn..." he scoffed. "Never would I have thought pretty little Yammy would be that way."

I turned my head to glare at him, though instead he just rested his hand on my jaw and pulled my face to his, sweetly pressing those soft, soft lips against mine. I didn't even fight back. He drew back just slightly, his breath tickling my nose. He kind of chuckled and he hadn't even opened his eyes. I was examining his features up close until he kissed me again. My eyes fluttered shut as he started to completely lay me back. Those large hands started to slowly unbutton my shirt as my fingers entangled in his long, dark hair. Kuni lied on top of me, one of his legs between both of mine. What was I even doing? This was my little league coach...one of my closest friends...and let alone the fact he was another guy...First Ren, now him? Something weird was happening...and I didn't know how I actually felt about it.

His bare chest was so broad, so perfect. His large hands caressed my naked thigh as he kissed my neck and chest. I could feel my cheeks blazing...and my heart racing. His hair was like a curtain around his face. That face that I wanted so badly to be able to see. I sobered up so quickly once this started...It was actually kind of scary. I could feel myself begin to shake. Kuni lifted his head and kind of smiled at me before moving his lips back up to mine for a second. He stared into my eyes once he broke the kiss.

"You look so nervous..." he said quietly, an amused glint playing in his lavender eyes.

"Well, yeah!" I squeaked, making him chuckle.

My eyes were wide, but his were soft. He just leaned down and gently kissed my chest a couple of times before looking back at me.

"Don't be," he whispered. "You've trusted me this long, haven't you?"

"Well...yeah..." I mumbled, turning my face away from him slightly, my cheeks growing even more red.

"Then why stop now?" he asked, gently nuzzling into the nape of my neck.

He breath actually started to calm me down. We just lied there like that for a few minutes. It was...nice...And then, he drew back, smirking.

"...What?" I pondered, examining his handsome features.

That was when he roughly forced his mouth on mine, sliding his tongue between my lips, and then grasped at my side. I arched my back slightly. With his other hand, he forced my legs open a bit wider. The feeling of his hardness made me nervous again, but I didn't really start shaking until it happened. He slowly pushed inward, making me gasp out harshly, arching my back even more and grasping tightly at the pillow underneath my head. It hurt...terribly...at first...and I think he knew that...That's probably why he took it so slow for the first little bit. I could feel my eyes watering horribly as I opened them, looking at him. He nodded once ever so slightly to me. It was like an indirect way of asking if I was okay with this...I nodded back...and he gently pressed his lips to mine again. Gradually, I let go of the pillow, once it stopped hurting so badly, and I placed each of my hands on either side of his neck, smiling through our kiss. It was strange, though. Despite the fact it was more comfortable now, he stayed going slowly. Like he wanted it to last. In all honesty? I kind of did too. Things were going to be weird after this...and I didn't want it to...This was the first thing in a long time that made me happy and kept me that way for a lengthy amount of time...I never wanted that feeling to leave again...

I opened my eyes to the sun shining in through the shades and I had to squint as soon as I did, lifting my hand to shield them as I sat up. I felt a warmth beside me and I looked over. Kuni was sleeping soundly. Peacefully, if nothing else. Slowly lying back down, I turned to face him. His lips were slightly parted and his breaths were steady and slow. His arm was draped over me and I cuddled in closer to him. This woke him up with a slight start and he looked around for a moment before settling his gaze on me and smiling, resting his head back on the pillow.

"G'morning," he said quietly in a sleepy voice.

"Morning," I returned, repaying his smile.

He stretched out and when he pulled back, he took me with him and held me.

"Is it sad to say I don't want this moment to end?" he inquired, his chest vibrating with his words.

I kind of shrugged, not really wanting to answer. I didn't want to sound like one of his girls and tell him that I wanted the same thing as him. Once we left that bed, it was going to end us. That's probably what scared me more than anything, in all honesty. He was one of my closest friends. Then again, so was Ren. And, hell, look at what happened to us. So, I just lied there in silence. Then, he rolled over on top of me and kind of smiled deviously. I just gave him this slightly startled look...until he started to kiss my neck...then my chest...then my stomach...I arched my back slightly, grasping at the pillow again. I knew he was pretty big into the whole sex scene, but I didn't know it was like this with him. He was ridiculously gentle, but he could be cruel when he wanted. He gently ran his lips along my skin until he reached my chest again. He gently bit down, making me bite my lip. He lifted up after a few more little nips and looked at me, his eyes soft...but kind of sad. My chest was rising and falling fast as I looked at him curiously.

"Kuni...?" I whispered right before he lowered himself down on me, nuzzling into the nape of my neck. "Kuni...what's wrong?..."

"What's going to happen to us now?" he asked suddenly.

"What do you mean?..." I returned.

"Are we going to still be friends? Will we be together? Or will we never speak again?"

"I'm...not sure..."

"Neither am I..." He lifted up, looking directly into my eyes. "...and that's what I'm scared of..."

I let go of the pillow and gently placed my hands on his jaw, smiling just enough to look reassuring. He kind of smiled back just as a tear fell from his eye and he lifted a hand to hold one of mine. His eyes were closed and we just stayed like that for a while before he looked at me again and just sighed softly. It wasn't a sad sigh, though. No. He sounded somewhat happy. He let go of my hand and started back on kissing my neck and chest. I could feel him positioning himself between my legs and I started getting nervous all over again. Not sure why, but I did. Kuni's lips ran up to the side of my mouth and he kind of stopped, looking straight into my eyes. At that moment, we were the only two people in the whole world. He then bowed his head and pushed in, making me gasp out. Despite the fact I didn't mean to, I dug my nails into his back. This only seemed to turn him on more. He roughly pressed his lips to mine, immediately slithering his tongue in to meet mine. His hand quickly moved to grasp my side as if he were trying to hold back while he moved his hips. The moment his tongue retreated into his own mouth, I gently bit his lip. Little things like that seemed to get him. His mouth moved rapidly to my neck and he bit down softly right before he kissed it. I was holding back moans. It would have been...weird...Then again, I was having sex with one of my best friends. One of my best _guy_ friends at that. Though, I still wouldn't let out a moan. Gasps of pleasure seemed to suffice, however. He chuckled quietly, shakily, before he gently pulled my arms down and gently kissed them. He smiled at me slightly before he stretched them out over my head, intertwining our fingers together. He lied down slowly on me, making my legs spread a bit more, and he had his legs folded beneath mine. He kissed me like I'd never been kissed before. It was so full of passion, yet so full of longing and love...I tightened my grip on his hands and he smiled through our lips. I actually...felt somewhat at peace then.

I walked out of the bathroom, buttoning my shirt with my tie draped over my shoulder, and Kuni just stood in the kitchen making breakfast and coffee. I made my way over to him, lying my tie on the island counter and rolling up my sleeves. He kind of smiled at me and pushed something over for me to work on. We were quiet...but there was no tension between us. It was so weird. Every now and again, Kuni would kind of nudge my arm and then give me this little side smirk. If this was how he treated girls after their nights together, how the hell wasn't he married yet?

We sat at my little bistro table and ate, him looking up at me and smiling every once in a while. I would kind of just chuckle when he did. We finished up quickly and I gathered the dishes, though when I started to do them, he pushed me out of the way.

"You need to get your skinny ass to work," he smiled.

I rolled my eyes and bumped him over to help. "I'd be earlier than usual," I replied. "Don't worry about me, Kuni, I can take care of myself."

"Says the guy that I walked in on giggling idiotically on the floor because he couldn't stand." His smile was joking and devious.

I turned to him and ended up pushing him back against the counter, pressed harshly against him with my mouth on his. I pinned his hands against the cabinet doors. He ended up kind of sliding on top of the surface and _I_ was between _his_ legs this time. Just as he started to get heated, I pulled back and looked up at him, smirking almost cruelly.

"Told you I can take care of myself," I whispered, stepping back and returning to the dishes.

He sighed shakily, bowing his head. "Well played, well played," he laughed softly.

He stayed on the counter as I finished up the dishes and then returned to put on my tie. That's when he jumped down and walked over to me. I leaned back against the island as he tied my tie for me.

"We all meeting up at LI tonight?" I asked him, tilting my head back and looking up at the ceiling.

"That's the plan," Kuni chuckled.

Then he kind of just stopped what he was doing and moved in closer to me. At first, I was kind of confused and started to look at him, but instead he gently pressed his lips against my neck again. I grasped the edge of the counter top tightly. His breath kind of tickled against my flesh. He grasped my waist gently, kissing me from my neck, up my jaw, and to the corner of my mouth again. Like he was waiting for something. I looked at him curiously and he just kind of smiled, kissing me gently. My hands rested lightly on his. He pulled away and I just looked at him with slightly widened eyes.

"What was that for?" I asked him.

"Just because," he shrugged, smiling vaguely as he returned to tying my tie.

I could feel myself blushing, so I turned my head and bowed it. He finished with my tie and then gently swept a bit of my hair behind my ear then proceeded to lightly nibble at the lobe. I couldn't help but to laugh a little. He laughed with me and then walked with me to the door. We were both dressed and ready for the day. Kuni decided he'd walk part of the way with me before turning to go back to LI. We stood at the turn off for me and I leaned back against the wall of the building there, my foot propped up on it. I grasped him by the opening of his jacket and pulled him close to me, smiling. He kept one hand on the wall, just beside my head, the other gently grabbing me by the belt.

"So I'll see you later then?" I wondered, kind of smirking.

I felt silly at that point, but it was silly in a good way. At least, that's how it felt. He nodded, still smiling sweetly. He pulled me closer to him and gently pressed his lips on mine, kissing me a few times, forcing my mouth open every now and again. When we were finally able to stop our silly, cutesy, gay kissing, he pressed up against me, his arms wrapped tightly around my waist, and he was nuzzled into my neck again. I had my arms around his neck, doing pretty much the same as him.

"You need to go to work," he whispered, though it was muffled.

"I know," I responded the same.

"Mind if I swing by around lunch?" he inquired, pulling away from me slowly.

"Be my guest," I shrugged, straightening out my jacket.

He smiled and nodded, pressing against mea nd kissing me gently again before backing up and waving goodbye. We parted ways, lamentably, and carried on through the day. It was winding down to lunchtime and I was sitting at my desk, my students doing their work in an odd silence. Then again, they were studying for entrance exams and whatnot. It made sense then, when I thought about it. Then my phone started to vibrate across my desk. I looked down at it...It read "Ren." I picked up shakily and then excused myself from the class, stepping outside the door and closing it quietly.

"Hello..." I answered in a small voice.

"I think we should talk," that princely voice stated sternly.

"Then talk." was all I said.

"I meant face to face, Yamato..." he sighed.

I couldn't help but to fall silent. Then, I felt a presence beside me. Though, I kept my head hung. I figured it was Kuni.

"I don't know if that'd be for the best right now..." I finally responded to him.

"And why not?" he inquired huffily.

"Because if I talk face to face with you, I'm going to snap," I stated bluntly before pulling the phone from my ear, ending the call.

My clutch on the device was...strong. I felt one of those large hands resting on mine and I slowly lifted my head to look at him through vision blurred with tears. He had his shoulder against the wall as well as his head. He used his other hand to gently wipe the tears off of my face. There was some sort of jealous possession in his eyes...I managed a small smile, shrugging a bit. Kuni gently caressed my cheek and sighed. Then, the bell rang, so he pulled back to just lean back against the wall with me, staring down at the floor. Once my classroom was empty, he and I walked inside, closing and locking the door. I walked to my desk and sat on top of it, my head still hung. He moved over in front of me, standing between my legs, his hands resting lightly on my thighs.

"What did he want?..." he asked quietly.

"He wanted to talk..." I replied in a whisper.

"...Face to face, hunh..." he sighed, resting his forehead against mine.

I just kind of nodded before resting my hands on his. This made him lift his head and I gently pressed my lips against his. He kissed me back, taking his dominant position as he had the night before, and forced my mouth open a few times. Once he broke our liplock, I just wrapped my arms around him.

"You know I have to talk to him sooner or later..." I murmured, pained by it.

"I know..." he responded, his arms coiling around me as well. "...But I won't let you go alone..."

I held on tighter to him, tears coming to my eyes again. Things were going well. I was _happy._ But I guess that was the tell that it wasn't going to stay that way. I let out a shaky breath, still holding on to him, trying not to cry. Finally, I felt him lift something up, so I pulled back and looked at him then down at his hand. He held a brown paper bag. I tilted my head at him and he smiled sweetly.

"What's in the bag?" I asked him.

He held it up for me to take, so I did, and I opened it...to find...warabi mochi...I kind of gasped then looked at him again.

"Figured I should bring something with me if I was going to stop by," he grinned.

I almost started crying then, but I held it back. I just hugged him again, tightly, before pulling away and pulling out the delicious food. I broke it in half, carefully, mind you, and held it out to Kuni.

"No, I brought it for you, Yamato," he smiled.

I just shoved it at him while I nibbled on my own. He chuckled quietly and took it, thanking me. He stayed standing between my legs as we ate in silence. Once we both finished, I crumpled up the bag and lied back on my desk to throw it away in the trashcan underneath it. Then...I felt his weight on top of me. I looked up at him and he kind of smiled cruelly. His large, cold hand slowly crept up my side, beneath my shirt. Before I could say anything, his mouth was against mine. That hand slowly lowered itself to my belt clasp, beginning to undo it. I knew we shouldn't have been doing that there, but I couldn't bring myself to stop it. Before I knew it, he was rubbing me lightly. I let out shuddering, quiet breaths. His lips trailed from my mouth down my jaw to my neck.

"W-We sh-shouldn't be-" I started, but he cut me off by kissing me again.

I could feel the nervous, fluttery feeling returning before he lifted up, smirking deviously, and pulling his hand out of my pants, zipping and buttoning them again.

He leaned down, the side of his mouth to my ear, and whispered, "Payback."

I kind of glared at him before shrugging slightly and sighing shakily. He climbed off of me, letting me sit up. He laughed softly. I just looked at him in confusion before his eyes flickered down and back up. I looked down myself and immediately blushed, grabbing my jacket and placing it over my waist. I hid my face from him, embarrassed beyond all belief. He just closed in on me, placing a finger under my chin and lifting my head, kissing me gently.

"You're cute when you blush," he whispered.

That only made me blush more...The bell to end lunch finally rang, so I had to hurry and unlock the door, ushering him out, but he stopped himself in the doorway, grabbing the frame, smirking. I sighed, rolling my eyes playfully, before I pecked him lightly on the lips. He nodded once and then backed out, walking down the hall. I stepped out to watch him and went back in as the girls started to file in. I was going to have to talk to Ren...At least I wasn't going to be alone...and that was comforting enough for me.


	3. Chapter 3

Work went by a bit quicker than I'd wanted...but at the same time, I was glad it was over. Kuni waited for me outside the school and we walked to LI together, talking and laughing. I walked on the side facing the road, my coat draped over my arm. I was glad I was able to hide my anxiety from him, though. I didn't want him to worry. But I was terrified of talking to Ren. Terrified of what was to come. Just...terrified in general. But I didn't want him to know that. I didn't want any of them to know that. Once we were far enough from the school, Kuni scooped my hand into his, lacing our fingers together. There was a skip in his step. Much different from my own, tired stride. But, luckily, we were at the bar before long, and I was sitting in my usual seat with a beer in front of me. Though, Kuni was hesitant to give it to me after how he found me the night prior. But he did anyway. Which I was thankful for. I was going to need alcohol to be able to deal with Ren.

It was only about half an hour later when the door opened. I turned to see Saeki walking in. He took his normal seat beside me and ordered his red wine, and I made my little comment on it. He seemed more offended than usual. Which kind of threw me off, to be honest, but I chose not to question it. Hell, if I were to question that, I'd have to question why I was perfectly okay with the fact I'd just had sex with one of my best friends..._twice._ I chose to deem it inexplicable. Just easier that way, I suppose. Though, Kuni seemed to notice Saeki's off mood just as I did.

"What's up with you, Pouty?" the bartender asked of the screen writer.

"It's nothing," he growled.

That was when I decided to intervene. "We both know there's something wrong with you, Saeki. Might as well tell us."

He glared slightly at me before staring down into his glass, tracing the bottom of it lightly with his forefinger. Kuni leaned against the bar, looking at him, as I turned in my seat to face him.

"It's just...a lot of things..." Saeki finally whispered, just as Takao, Kaina, and Yuta walked in.

Kuni and I just nodded in understanding before returning to our own business. Yuta and Kaina did most of the talking throughout the night. The bar started to fill with people for the first time in a while, and I was watching them...when Ren walked in. My heart jumped into my throat and I turned, staring at the bottom of my drink. The prince took his seat on the other side of me, silently as usual, and Kuni brought him his drink, glancing to me every now and again. I could tell he wanted to hold my hand or something, but we both knew that wouldn't have been the brightest idea...especially in present company.

Ren finally leaned over to me and whispered, "We need to talk. Back room. Come in about five minutes."

Sure enough, he stood and walked into the back room. I watched after him and sighed shakily. Then, I looked down at my drink again. I guess I _was_ going to be alone in this. If Kuni followed me, they'd know something had to be up. Roughly five minutes passed and I stood, silently, walking into the back room and closing the door, my eyes never leaving the floor.

"Well, I'm here," I said quietly.

I felt him walk over and wrap those strong arms around me, nuzzling into the nape of my neck, which he soon started to lightly kiss. I wanted to pull away from him, but I couldn't. I was frozen. I really was having a breakdown. I was snapping inside. I didn't even know why. We only kissed. But it...hurt...so much. His lips trailed up my neck, to my jaw, and then slowly to my mouth. _That_ was when I pushed him away, bowing my head even more now.

"Yamato...what's wrong?..." he asked quietly. I didn't answer him. I just took a few steps back from him until I was against the wall, clutching tightly at my arm. "We seriously need to talk...don't we?..." I just nodded slowly and he sighed. "Very well...I guess you're wondering why I ran out of there so quickly..."

"No shit, Sherlock..." I muttered, choking back harshly on my tears.

"There's a simple explanation for it..." he declared. "I was scared, Yamato. Scared of what everyone would think, scared that you would think I was weird, and scared of what my parents would say if they were to find out."

"And you don't think _I_ was scared?!" I demanded, my head snapping up, the tears escaping from their dam and spilling down my face now. "The only difference was _I_ wasn't going to run away from it!"

"Yamato, I'm sorry..." he mumbled, taking a step closer, but when I turned my head from him, he stopped. "...It was stupid, I'm sorry!"

At that moment, Kuni came in and looked at the both of us before stepping in completely, shutting the door behind him, and glaring at Ren.

"I don't think you realise just how badly you hurt him, running out like that," he growled in a quiet voice.

"Y-You know?!" the prince squeaked.

"I squeezed it out of little Yammy over there," the older one huffed, crossing his arms tightly across his chest. "I went to his apartment only to find him on the floor, unable to stand from how much he drank...thanks to his trying to forget you for the night."

"I-I didn't...didn't know..." he stammered, taking a step back himself, fiddling with his hands.

"I'm just going to go home..." I whispered and turned, opening the door, walking out without another word.

I walked by my seat only to pick up my jacket and throw a bit of money on the bar as thanks to Kuni for taking care of me, and I left in silence. No one seemed to notice, anyway. They were too preoccupied with Kaina. I kind of shivered as a gust of cold air hit me and shoved my hands into my pockets, my shoulders hunched slightly. I tried my best to keep my head clear. Then I heard someone running behind me, so I turned and looked. Saeki was coming straight at me. I just kind of stopped and turned completely.

"Where do you think _you're_ going?" he pondered, coming to a gradual stop in front of me.

"Home," I replied simply with a small shrug. "I need to take a shower and get some work done before I go to bed tonight. Drinking shouldn't have even been on my agenda, in all honesty."

He huffed slightly, crossing his arms across his chest. "Don't lie to me, Kougami, I know you better than that. You were too quiet tonight. Something's up."

"It's just...a lot of things..." I answered in a mock tone before turning and continuing on my way.

He kept up, nevertheless. But I ignored all of his attempts to find out what was going through my head. Finally, I just walked into my complex, leaving him out, and entered my apartment, immediately shedding my coat, shoes, and tie, heading straight to the washroom. I started up the shower and walked out into the living area to grab my tie when someone was calling up to my home. I just let them in, not checking to see who it was. I unbuttoned my shirt and turned on the television to watch the news while the water heated up. The door opened and almost instantly afterward, I felt strong arms around my waist from behind me. He rested his head on my shoulder and I just looked at him out of the corner of my eye, smiling slightly at him.

"Are you okay?" Kuni asked softly.

I just nodded. "As okay as I'll ever be." was my answer.

He let me go and sighed, nodding slightly, before spinning me around to face him and softly placing his hands on my waist, holding me close to him, looking me up and down as I gently grasped his wrists. I then realised that my shirt was unbuttoned...and he had me in his grasp. My nerves immediately started to act up. I glanced over to the wide open door...to see Saeki standing there. How did he get in?...

"Saeki..." I gasped softly, making Kuni turn and gasp as well, letting me go and stepping back a bit.

The writer almost looked hurt...My eyes were wide. Quickly, I turned and rushed into the bathroom, closing the door and leaning back against it, breathing heavily. Either everyone in our district was going to know about this, or he was going to write some corny screenplay based off of it. But no matter what it was, my heart was still going to come bursting out of my chest any moment. I just hurriedly shed my clothes and stepped into the hot water and then sat down in the tub, hugging my knees to my chest. It was just one thing after another at this point. It was killing me. I just wanted to cry. Which I did. I just buried my face in my knees and cried. There was no way I'd be able to go back to LI after this. Hell...I felt like calling out sick to work and just holing up in my apartment. I then heard the bathroom door open. I could only make out a figure, so I wasn't sure who I was to expect. Before long, the tall, long-haired man stepped into the tub with me, sitting down as well, also with his knees to his chest. I just hid my face again, still crying.

"I'm so sorry, Yamato..." he whispered.

"What did the two of them have to say?" I inquired, looking up at him. "And what did you have to say in return?"

"Ren just apologised incoherently, and I told him it'd be best to give you some space for a little while," he started quietly. "As for Saeki...He bombed me with questions, to which I lied. I told him I was just comforting you at close quarters. He seemed to believe it and left without another word."

I nodded slightly and looked down at my feet. I didn't even realise the tears were still rolling down my cheeks as I stood to actually shower. Kuni stood with me and leaned against the wall. I grabbed my shampoo and rubbed it into my hair slowly. I had my back to my friend. And he moved in close, pressing against me, with his arms loosely around my waist.

"I need to wash the soap out of my hair..." I whispered, so he just turned me around so that we were front to front.

"Then wash the soap out of your hair," he smirked.

And that I did. I washed it out. Kuni then pushed me against wall, his hands on my waist as usual. We were chest to chest. He just stared into my eyes longingly. I managed a small smile, though I was still crying, and grasped his wrists again. At that point, he could tell that I'd been crying, and he gently started to kiss my tears away.

"I'm sorry..." was all I said.

"Don't be," he smiled, gently squeezing my waist. "It's understandable. Things just keep happening and it's getting harder and harder to deal with. Everyone needs a breakdown every now and again." I kind of shrugged, bowing my head only to rest my forearms and head against his chest as he coiled his arms around me tightly. "Chin up, Buttercup, things'll get better."

I kind of smiled at that and nodded a little bit. Once I finally got to wash up and whatnot, we got out and got dressed, walking back out into the living area. As I went to fix us some tea, he plopped down on the sofa, changing the channel. I returned, setting a cup down in front of him, and sat down, leaning back, sipping at my own. He sat forward, grabbing his cup, and just stayed like that, his attention fixated on the screen before us. I smiled vaguely at him and continued drinking my tea.

After a while, we were just sitting there, his arm around my shoulders and my head on his, and we were watching whatever movie was playing. My eyes kept drooping shut, but I would snap awake. I looked down at my watch and sighed, sitting up and stretching with a yawn. As I stood, I pressed down on Kuni's thigh.

"I'm going to bed," I informed him quietly.

He nodded, rubbing at his eyes as I walked away, into my bedroom. I just crawled into the bed, the blankets up to my mouth. I lied on my side, cuddling with my pillow, until Kuni walked in. He just tugged off his shirt and climbed in behind me. Once we were both under the covers, he draped his arm over my waist and held me close to him. I turned over and cuddled up to him, my breath shaky. I just wanted to keep crying. And I think he could tell because he held me even closer, whispering: "It's going to be okay, love. It's going to be okay." This only _made_ me cry. I hadn't had a breakdown in _years._ But here I was. Just sobbing into my best friend's...boyfriend's?...chest. Though, before I knew it, I was opening my swollen eyes to see the sun shining in through the shades. Kuni hadn't left my side, and I was still in his strong arms. Though, that didn't last long. Quickly, I had to wiggle of out them and scrambled off the bed. He woke up and kind of jumped, watching me. I had my hand pressed to my mouth as I sprinted to the bathroom, though I could just barely hear him call my name. I fell to my knees, sliding in front of the toilet, and started losing all of the contents of my stomach. The older one of us kind of wobbled into the washroom and knelt down beside me, his hand gently rubbing my back.

"I'll call in to the school and tell them you're sick," he said quietly, and I just kind of nodded, lying my head on the toilet seat.

That breakdown must have done more to me than I'd thought. And on top of that, I could hear loud cracks of thunder and I saw flashes of lightning coming in through the shades of the window in the bathroom. I pressed down the lever to flush the toilet, though I didn't move much more other than that. I didn't feel like I was going to throw up anymore, but I didn't feel like I could really walk much either. Kuni returned after a while and carefully helped me to my feet.

"Come on," he said quietly, leading me to the bedroom again. I lied down miserably. I felt like just...crying again. "I'll stay with you, okay?"

I watched him as he climbed into bed again, lying right next to me. Slowly, I turned over and lied on my side to look at him.

"I'm sorry I'm such a problem for you..." I whispered, averting my gaze slightly.

"My love, you're not a problem," he whispered sweetly with that soft little smile of his, gently caressing my cheek.

"What about the bar?" I asked in a small voice.

"I figure you'll be feeling better by tonight." was all he said before he pulled me in close. I felt him press the side of his mouth to my ear and he whispered: "I can make you feel better."

This kind of sent shivers down my spine and I let out a small, shaky breath as he moved just enough to be able to kiss my neck and chest.

"C-Can I at l-least br-brush my t-teeth?" I staggered and he kind of chuckled, pulling away a bit.

He seemed almost amused by the fact I'd cave so easily to him. He let me go and I stood, still feeling somewhat weak, and hurried in to the bathroom, brushing my teeth. Though...he followed me pretty soon after, his arms wrapped around my waist from behind and his forehead resting against the back of my head. He then started kissing my shoulders and neck. I had to struggle to finish brushing my teeth. I still couldn't pinpoint what it was about him that got me so worked up. When I was with him, I'd forget about Ren. Whom I still had no clue why I was so hurt over. I rinsed my mouth out and as soon as I stood straight again, turning off the faucet, his hand started to slowly slide into the waistband of my pants. I lifted my arms to wrap them around his neck, despite him being behind me, as he continued kissing my shoulder and neck. That seemed to have become our favourite pastime.

I stradled his lap, my arms loosely around his neck. He held my waist, as usual, and kept his soft lips against mine. Though, he pulled back and kind of smiled at me. My hair was like a curtain around my face, though he was able to look straight into my eyes.

"What?" I asked, his smile kind of holding a question in it as well.

"I was just thinking..." he whispered.

"About what?" I urged.

"...I was wondering if I would be able to call you mine now..." he said quietly, still smiling slightly, his eyes flickering to each of mine.

My heart fluttered, my cheeks grew hot, and my eyes kind of widened. Kuni tilted his head slightly, his smile starting to fade, until I harshly pressed my lips against his, my arms tightening around his neck and my body moving immensely closer to his. His arms coiled around my waist and he held me. The moment I broke the kiss, I smiled and let out a shaky breath, my eyes still shut.

"Yes," I answered in a barely audible voice.

He was suddenly so much more happy. And so was I, in all honesty. He rolled us over so that he was between my legs, lying on top of me. Though, instead of doing anything, he just locked his hands together on my chest and rested his chin on them, looking at me. I had one hand beneath my head, the other stroking his hair. We stayed like that for a while. It was comforting and warm. I didn't feel sick anymore, which was a relief.

Around about ten that morning, Kuni finally moved. He moved his body upward, his strong arms holding him up. A small smirk played on his flawless lips. He lowered his head and pressed those lips to my neck, his teeth grazing my neck slightly. I arched my back, my hands moving to grab my pillow, and my cheeks were fiery red. Why did I get nervous every time?...He lifted one of his own hands and slowly slid it down my body. I could feel my heart speed up, and apparently so could he because he looked up at me and kind of smiled before he started trailing kisses down my abdomen. I bit my lip, clutching the pillow even tighter. He stopped right at the lowest part of my waistline and then moved himself to be directly between my legs again. He pressed his lips against mine once more and I let out a sigh. He took my hands from the pillow and laced our fingers together before holding them above my head. He gently bit my lip and then it started.

We didn't leave my bedroom until almost one. It was amazing. The both of us, after a while of just lying in bed together, talking and laughing, got up. I started up the shower and he met me in there after he went and got a drink of water. He and I just kind of got in the tub and stood in the water for a little while, him pressed up against me from behind, his arms wrapped tightly around my waist and his forehead resting on my shoulder. I just crossed my arms, my hands resting on _his_ arms.

"It's strange," I said at last, and he kind of hummed in acknowledgment. "I don't even feel remotely sick anymore..."

"They say sex helps with stress," he responded very nonchalantly, making me blush and turn my head as best I could to look at him. He looked up at me after a bit and kind of smirked. "What? It's true."

I kind of rolled my eyes. "So that's what it was, then?" I asked quietly. "Stress?"

"Obviously," he returned. "Otherwise sex would have just made you feel even more sick." I was blushing even more as he kind of squeezed my waist with a chuckle. "I think it's so funny...and cute...how embarrassed you get when I mention sex."

"Well yeah!" I squeaked and he turned me around in his arms, pressing me up against the wall of the shower, making my cheeks only redder. "I-I mean...th-this was k-kind of a big...big step...for us..."

He just laughed quietly again and then gently kissed me, our fingers laced together, him holding my hands against the wall, above my head. I loved when he would do that...When he would kiss me so longingly and take initiative. I kind of smiled in between our lips which made him pull back and kind of look at me curiously.

"What is it?" he asked quietly.

"Just thinking," I replied, still smiling, reaching out for his lips, though I stopped right before they made contact. "Thinking about how I love when you take initiative with me."

This made him kind of blush and then I connected our lips again, gently biting his lower one, which made him come back to me, pressing his body against mine a bit harder. His tongue brushed my lips, so I parted them, and our tongues wrestled for dominance. I pushed my lower half away from the wall and against his, which only seemed to fire him up even more. That was when I realised that I was falling hard and fast for him. It was...actually terrifying.

We were just kind of chilling on the couch. He was on one side, I was on the other, and the both of us had our legs up, overlapping one another's, and we were talking and laughing and talking about when we were younger. When he would coach us. I had a cup of tea and he had a glass of water. I was relaxed. I wasn't thinking for once. I had to thank whoever was up there for that. We were...just having a good time. Finally, I looked down at my watch and kind of jumped at the time.

"If we don't leave, like, _now_, the guys are going to beat us to the bar," I said quickly as I scrambled to get off of the sofa. I'd set my cup down on the coffee table and as I went to rush past him to change, he just grabbed me and pulled me down to lie on top of him. He held me there for a moment before gently, passionately kissing me. His hands were tangled in my hair and mine were resting on the arm of the sofa that he was rested back against. He was kissing me like he was scared. I pulled up enough from him so that our lips were just a centimeter or two away, and I still had my eyes closed. "Kuni, what's wrong?"

"We're going to have to tell the guys soon..." he whispered, and I just kind of nodded in understanding. "...and that includes Ren." That caused a slight pang in my chest. But I nodded hesitantly anyway. "Please don't let his reaction do anything to this, okay? I'm happy...Happy with you..."

"I'm happy too," I returned, smiling slightly as tears to emphasise that feeling filled my eyes. I pressed my lips to his again for a little while before finally breaking the kiss and standing. "We really need to get you a change of clothes, though..." He kind of laughed at me and nodded as I had been doing. "So we can rush to your place and then haul ass to LI, yeah?"

"Sounds good, Mister Teacher Man," he smirked.

I rolled my eyes playfully and then rushed to change before we left. Kuni had cleaned up a bit as I was getting ready, and I was grateful for that. We then basically ran the entire way to his place so he could change and I just looked around, admiring the different scenery. He kind of surprised me when he came up behind me, coiling his arms around my waist tightly and kissing my shoulder. I just grasped his arms and kept looking around.

"Next time, we'll spend the night here," he whispered and then let me go, taking my hand in his.

There was a smirk on his face when I looked over at him. He meant tonight...My heart kind of fluttered. He laughed quietly at the look in my eyes and then pulled me from the place. We ran as fast as we could to get to LI, slimly making it before time to open anyway. He and I stopped for a moment to catch our breath and then I took my usual seat and he got me my beer just in time for Saeki and Takao to walk in. They ordered their usuals and then in came Yuta and Kaina...and then Ren. Immediately all of that happiness I'd been feeling all day melted away. I stared into the bottom of my drink as Ren took his spot beside me in eerie silence. I kind of felt Kuni's hand brush mine as he wiped down the bar. Though he didn't hover too long. I figured he kind of wanted to wait until they were all a bit...drunk. And it had to be hard for him since his "neice" was there as well. And it was difficult for me because of Ren...

About an hour passed and I was still on my first beer. Saeki was on his third glass of wine...Ren had two glasses of beer. Takao and Yuta were getting tipsy already, as was Kaina...

"Yamato, can you help me in the back with something?" Kuni asked, keeping a straight face, so I assumed he was being serious.

"Sure," I nodded and stood up, following him into that back room.

As soon as we were out of the sight of the others, he forced me against the wall, slightly knocking the breath out of me, though arousing me greatly.

"I couldn't hold back much longer," he smirked before he loosened my tie, pulling it off and throwing it on the ground. He then started unbuttoning my shirt. "I don't know why...but I craved you..." He forced his lips on mine and I started to work on his shirt, though when his hips grinded against mine, somewhat harshly, I dug my nails into his chest, only seeming to make him hungrier for me. I bit at his lower lip and he started pulling my jacket off of me.

"What the hell..." a voice said from the doorway, making the both of us freeze and look over. It was Ren...I felt my heart jump into my throat. "...So this is why you two have been acting so distant lately..."

I bowed my head as Kuni stepped back from me. I just kind of slid down the wall to sit at the base of it. I made sure my hair hid my face. Kuni sighed softly and shakily.

"We were going to tell you guys tonight..." he whispered, almost scared-sounding. "...It kind of...just happened..."

"And Yamato," Ren growled lowly, sounding on the verge of tears. I looked up at him through my bangs. "Is that why you were quick to end that kiss the other night?"

I felt a pang in my chest as Kuni looked at me quickly. My head snapped up and I looked from Kuni to Ren.

"You two kissed?..." the older one asked of me sadly as I stood.

"...He kissed me..." I responded in an undertone.

"Why didn't you tell me?" my boyfriend asked, taking a step closer to me, his hand slightly outreached.

"Because I didn't want to think about it," I answered, picking up my tie quickly and pushing past the two of them.

Once I reached the bar portion of the building, I could hear Saeki ask: "What's wrong?"

"Kuni and I are together and he just found out a bit of news I didn't want him to," I answered quickly as I stormed past them.

My hand was clutching my tie so tightly. Tears were impairing my vision. And eventually, the tip of my shoe scraped the concrete and I went crashing down. I just kind of lied there, not wanting to move ever again. After a little while, I stood up shakily, dusting myself off, and continued the little ways on to my apartment.

That night, I found myself sitting on my kitchen floor against the island counter with a bottle of beer in hand. I was still wearing my white work shirt and the black slacks with my socks. My sleeves were rolled up and my knees were bent up, my elbows resting on them so that my hands crossed on the inside of them. There were bottles scattered around me and little droplets of the drink itself. I heard my door open, but I ignored it. I didn't care anymore. They could take whatever they wanted.

"Yamato?" that familiar voice asked.

I just kind of picked up an empty bottle and threw it over the counter, letting it shatter on the ground. I could tell he jumped and then he peeked around the corner at me, sighing at the sight of the multiple bottles lying around me and then at the one pressed to my lips at the moment. He knelt down beside me and then sat down, his legs stretched out in front of him.

"What is it?" I grumbled, never looking at him once.

"Why didn't you talk to me about Ren?" he asked quietly.

"You actually think I wanted to think about it, much less talk about it?" I growled, taking another drink. "It's bad enough he found out the way he did. And it's bad enough that the one day we can finally say we're together, I've gone and fucked up again."

"You didn't fuck up, Yamato..." he muttered, turning slightly to face me. "No, I fucked up this time. I should have just...restrained myself..." I finally looked over at him. I knew there were dark circles under my eyes. He wrapped one arm around my stomach and pulled me closer to him, gently pressing his lips against mine. He pulled away, but just barely to where our lips were still slightly touching. "Let's go, we decided we were spending the night at my place..." His voice was low and seductive and I just kind of nodded. "...And I'll make it up to you for fucking up this time."

We stood and I was a bit wobbly, but he helped me get my shoes on and then helped me down the stairs to where a cab awaited us. I climbed in and he sat close to me, one arm around my shoulders. My fingers laced with his on my door side and his other hand rested on my thigh. He was kissing and nibbling lightly on my neck, making me want to just...attack him. When I'd turn my head to kind of glare at him, he'd rest his on my shoulder and look back at me innocently. We made it back to his place not long after we'd gotten in the cab, he paid for the trip, and we both rushed to his door. I finally attacked him, pressing him back against the door, as he still fumbled with his key and reached behind him, unlocking it and pulling me inside with him. I kicked the door shut as he started pulling off my shirt. I did the same as we pushed off our shoes and he dragged me backward, toppling onto the couch. We struggled to pull one another's pants off. I climbed off of him to kind of move the process along, but he stood as well and his touch was so much more gentle. He stood behind me and gently kissed my neck again, his hands slowly moving to my waistline. I kept my hands on top of his. Though, I turned around in his arms and he started pushing me back until I was against the window. He had his hands on my waist and I had my arms coiled around his neck. He bit lightly at my lower lip and it made me kind of shudder. He slowly turned me around and I had my hands pressed up against the glass.

"Look at us," he whispered, resting his head on my shoulder. "We're infinite."

I smiled slightly and I could feel my eyes start to well up. We really were. As his fingers laced with mine and he pressed his body against me, I bowed my head. I was happy with him...So happy. Yet...all I could think about lately was Ren. I kind of vaguely shook the thought. Ren never wanted me. Why else would he have run? Kuni...wanted me...but...my mind was still clouded. I had to talk to Ren...alone.


End file.
